ECTOR COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Sheriff Mike Griffis announced this week that he has filed for re-election; you’ll find him on the ballot next November. Griffis said he’s proud of the work he and his team have done thus far, and he has a few goals in mind going forward. 

Griffis has more than thirty years of experience and wanted to help the Ector County Sheriff’s Office continue to grow and succeed when he was sworn in as Sheriff in January of 2017. 

“I had goals to make improvements, get better pay, get better equipment for the men and women who go out every day to keep our community safe when I first took office. We were the last agency in the area to issue service weapons to our deputies…developed a fleet program, increased training, better competitive pay. We have some of the best, state-of-the-art technology now (and are) awaiting delivery of a one-of-a-kind fixed wing drone,” he said.

Griffis said the drone will have an 18-mile range and two-hour flight time per batter pack and ECSO will be the only local agency in the state to have one. The drone will help in many ways, especially when searching for suspects or missing people. Griffis said the money to fund such technology, as well as other improvements at ECSO has come from donations and money seized from criminals. 

For Griffis, it’s all about keeping his staff happy and safe. 

“I am a proponent of, if you have happy employees, you have happy customers,” he said. 

And he has big goals for his next term, should he be elected.

“On of my next goals will be to become better staffed, fill some empty positions, and hopefully continue to get new tools and equipment to help secure the arrest of those who victimize our people. I hope when I leave ECSO, it is in better shape than I found it and the next Sheriff can take the reins and run with it,” he said.